Thai food is tying up America. More than 340,000 people of Thai ancestry live in the United States, with 6,000 people living in the Seattle area.
Many of them are starting restaurants and spreading their love of Thai cuisine. But you shouldn’t focus just on Thai food. To get a good understanding of Thai culture and cuisine, you need to know about the drinks Thailand has to offer!
What are some of the most popular Thai drink options? What ingredients do they use, and what flavors can you expect? Are there any Thai versions of American drinks?
Answer these questions and you can enjoy all that Thailand has to offer. Here are three great Thai drinks.
1. Thai Iced Coffee
Thai iced coffee is one of the most popular drinks in Thailand. The drink uses strong coffee and combines it with light cream milk and ice. This produces a creamy and sweet drink you can’t get elsewhere.
Traditional Thai iced coffee relies on a special brewing technique. The barista brews the coffee with a coffee sock filter.
The filter is a cotton bag that holds the coffee beans, and the barista then pours hot water through it. The coffee starts to drip through the bottom of the bag, producing a concentrated brew akin to espresso.
You can sample iced coffees with different spices in them. Some baristas like cardamom and cinnamon and mix them with the beans so they release into the water and disperse.
2. Thai Iced Tea
Thai iced tea is similar to Thai iced coffee because each of them can use sweetened condensed milk or a light cream milk. Black tea is traditionally used in Thai drink recipes, with most recipes relying on Ceylon tea. Ceylon tea has hints of chocolate, citrus, and honey, producing a sweet and flavorful drink.
You can find a few different spices in your Thai drink. Vanilla, cinnamon, and star anise are very popular choices. You can also have cardamom and tamarind powder in your tea.
In addition to condensed milk, some people like to put coconut milk in their tea. This adds more creaminess to their drink without too much sweetness as well as being a tasty vegan alternative.
3. Cucumber Lemonade
Cucumber lemonade is a refreshing twist on classic lemonade. You get the sweet and tart flavors of lemonade with the mild and crisp notes of cucumbers.
There are a few different recipes that a restaurant can use for cucumber lemonade. A restaurant may take lemonade and place sliced cucumbers in it, letting the cucumber flavor infuse through the drink. It may also mix the lemonade with cucumber juice and mint.
The Three Best Thai Drinks
You can learn a lot by sampling Thai drinks. Thai iced coffee combines sweetened condensed milk with light spices, creating a refreshing drink without too much sugar.
Thai iced tea uses Ceylon tea, which offers a mixture of flavors. You can experiment with tea that has coconut milk instead of milk.
If you want flavors you’re more familiar with, you can try cucumber lemonade. The drink combines the tanginess of lemonade with light hints of cucumber. You don’t have to go to Bangkok to find these great drinks. Thai Ginger serves Seattle residents. Browse our menu today.